Lu Anning almost thought he had misheard and looked at Tang Jingyuan in shock.
"What did you say?"
"Didn't you say you don't have anyone you're used to? It just so happens that Zhong Ling's work in Jiangcheng is almost done. I asked her for her opinion, and she's also willing to come to Kyoto to help you. I've made all the arrangements, and I wanted to give you a surprise tomorrow."
It took a while for Lu An Ning to react. Not caring that they were at the entrance of the hotel, she threw herself into Tang Jingyuan's arms and hugged him tightly.
For a moment, she didn't know what to say to express her feelings.
"You actually arranged everything!"
"I know you don't like to rely on others, but I want you to know that if you encounter any trouble, you can always come to me. I will help you find a solution. You don't need to carry it alone."
Tang Jingyuan knew that Lu Anning had been unhappy because of the Gu family's affairs.
Her biological parents are cold to her and are even reluctant to acknowledge her. Anyone would feel uncomfortable in their situation.
She didn't say it, but in fact she valued family affection very much in her heart. She was just afraid of disappointment, so she pretended to be indifferent.
There were some emotions that she didn't say, but Tang Jingyuan could feel them. He had no way of changing the Gu family's attitude towards her, so he could only give her more love and fill the void in her heart.
"Actually, when I decided to come to Kyoto to develop, I considered taking Zhong Ling with me. However, I have to start from scratch myself, and I don't even know what the future will hold. How can I dare to gamble on Zhong Ling's future?"
She was thinking that if Zhong Ling continued with her original career, Jiangcheng would have ready-made connections, which might be much better than coming to Kyoto and starting from scratch.
"Zhong Ling doesn't want to stay in Jiangcheng. She didn't say anything because she's afraid she won't know anything and will be a burden to you if she comes to Kyoto. She's always wanted to escape from her original family in Jiangcheng!"
Lu Anning was stunned: "Is her family not treating her well?"
Lu An Ning saw her smiling every day and her family often called her, so she thought she had a very good relationship with her family.
"The family's focus is on his brother. How good do you think that will be?"
Lu Anning frowned, realizing that he seemed to have never understood Zhong Ling's life.
"She was very happy to hear that she could come."
Tang Jingyuan had already arranged accommodation for Zhong Ling in Kyoto. It was only a few minutes' walk to the company, and now he was just waiting for her to come.
"If you want, we can go pick you up at the airport, but it's midnight, and Xiang Yang told me that the flight was rescheduled at the last minute."
"Then let's go pick her up at the airport! It feels like I haven't seen her in ages."
The two of them simply didn't go back and just walked around nearby. When they calculated that it was almost time, they drove to the airport to pick up the person.
Logically speaking, Xiang Yang would not have changed Zhong Ling's flight to arrive at midnight. The call was made before boarding. He did not explain in detail, and Tang Jingyuan did not ask much at the time.
At midnight, Tang Jingyuan and Lu Anning waited at the airport exit. A short while later, they saw Xiang Yang and Zhong Ling coming out. However, Zhong Ling covered herself tightly, revealing only her eyes, and Lu Anning almost didn't recognize her.
Lu An Ning went forward to hug her, but as soon as he touched her, he heard Zhong Ling groaning and was stunned.
"What’s wrong with you?"
Xiang Yang sighed: "Let's talk while we walk!"
After getting in the car, Zhong Ling took off her hat, and Lu An Ning saw that her eyes were full of tears. Before she could say anything, Zhong Ling had already hugged Lu An Ning and cried.
"Team Leader Lu, I almost didn't see you."
Only after taking off the mask did Lu Anning see the bruises at the corners of Zhong Ling's mouth, which looked like she had been beaten.
"What's wrong with you?"
When Lu An Ning asked this question, Zhong Ling couldn't stop crying.
"Team Leader Lu, please keep me here! I'm willing to work with you for the rest of my life, no matter how hard or difficult it is. I never want to go back to that home again."
"Don't cry, talk slowly. From now on, just follow me, I won't let anyone bully you."
The car was filled with Zhong Ling's sobs, and Lu Anning finally realized that she had been living in dire straits. She just didn't want to show it in front of others. Under her seemingly happy appearance, she was actually riddled with scars.
Zhong Ling's family had a very obvious patriarchal mentality. From childhood to adulthood, she did everything to serve her younger brother and had no say at home.
After working for so many years, she has hardly saved any money, and any extra money she has is squeezed out by her family.
"For years, I've been shouldering all the family expenses. My brother is incompetent, not only is he overambitious but also wants the best of everything and spends lavishly. After you left, they heard I got a promotion and started asking me for money even more. My brother brought back a woman of questionable character and is planning to discuss marriage."
Zhong Ling never expected that when her brother got married, the woman asked for a dowry of 880,000 yuan, a 200-square-meter commercial apartment in the city center, and a car worth 500,000 yuan, not to mention a lot of money for changing the name and red envelopes, all of which would be charged to Zhong Ling.
"I couldn't stand it anymore and fell out with my family. Who would have thought that when I didn't pay them, they would beat me. My mother even helped them and locked me up in the room. I sneaked out while they were sleeping. I had no other choice but to ask Vice President Xiang for help. If it weren't for him, I might have been sold to the old man by now."
Since Zhong Ling couldn't come up with the money, her parents contacted a matchmaker and wanted to marry her to a man who was almost sixty years old in exchange for money.
At the end, Zhong Ling hugged Lu An Ning and cried bitterly: "Team Leader Lu, please help me! I don't want to go back to that home anymore. If you let me stay, I can do anything for you."
Looking at the almost broken Zhong Ling, Lu Anning's heart was in a knot.
She hugged Zhong Ling and comforted her softly, "It's okay! From now on, just follow me and you will never be wronged again."
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